Our Community Values

 

Abundant Life

We believe that Jesus came to give life and that every believer should experience a deep satisfaction as we follow him.  Contentment is a learned attitude and is available regardless of our circumstances. 

​

Friendship before Function

Relationships take a priority – not performance, skill or gifting. We value people for who they are, not primarily for what they contribute.

 

Truth before Tradition

We take our instructions from the Scriptures above any human tradition.

 

Messy rather than Pretending

We encourage authentic living and trust in the gospel to transform lives.  Come as you are, but don’t stay as you are.  Let’s acknowledge our broken lives but expect to see radical change as we follow Christ.

 

Compassion before Criticism

We want to be more like Jesus who loved people first, then addressed their sin.  We desire to act with grace and gentleness.

 

Practical before Perfection

Structures are there to serve us, not to enslave us.  We value flexibility because we know that life is unpredictable.

 

Leading by Serving

Our elders lead by serving so that our members will follow our example and be quick to use their gifts to serve one another.

 

 

WHAT WE BELIEVE

The following statements are a summary of our doctrinal beliefs.  As reformed evangelicals, we hold to the 39 articles as compiled in 1571 in the Book of Common Prayer. “In things essential clarity, in things non-essential liberty.”

 

WE BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE

We believe that God has perfectly revealed who he is and what he desires in the Bible.  Every word is inspired by God and is reliable.

 

WE BELIEVE IN THE TRINITY

We believe that God is a complex unity. There is only one true God, but he exists eternally as three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

WE BELIEVE IN JESUS

We believe that Jesus is fully God and fully man. Through his life, death, and resurrection, he did all that was necessary to make salvation possible.

 

WE BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God. Through his ministry, he points us to Jesus and empowers our lives.

 

WE BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL

The gospel is the good news that God saves sinners through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

 

WE BELIEVE IN SPIRITUAL GIFTS

We believe that the Holy Spirit continues to give Jesus' followers spiritual gifts to encourage believers and save those who do not yet believe.

 

WE BELIEVE IN ORIGINAL SIN

We believe that, through Adam, sin has broken all humanity and creation, leaving the world in need of salvation.

 

WE BELIEVE IN SALVATION BY GRACE ALONE

We believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

 

WE BELIEVE IN SATAN

We believe Satan hates God's church and is determined to crush it. Satan was defeated at the cross even as we wait for his final judgment.

 

WE BELIEVE IN THE CHURCH

We believe the Church is Jesus' body on the earth. Her mission is to make Jesus known through preaching the gospel, caring for the poor, and serving our neighbors.

 

WE BELIEVE IN BAPTISM AND COMMUNION

We believe God has given us baptism and communion to strengthen Christians' lives and celebrate their inclusion into God's family.

 

WE BELIEVE IN COMPLEMENTARIANISM

We believe that men and women are equals, created by God to fulfill different roles as co-workers in his kingdom.

 

WE BELIEVE IN MARRIAGE

We believe the pattern for sex and marriage was established by God as he officiated Adam and Eve's male-female union in Eden.

 

WE BELIEVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

We believe that all humans are equal in dignity and value, bearing the image of God from the moment of conception, regardless of ethnicity or gender.

 

WE BELIEVE IN HEAVEN AND HELL

We believe that followers of Jesus will spend eternity with Jesus in his kingdom. Everyone who rejects Jesus will be punished with eternal separation from the presence of God.

 

WE BELIEVE IN JESUS' RETURN

We believe that Jesus will return to both restore creation and judge the living and the dead.

​

​